Believe In Me
by Angelustatt
Summary: Dean has faith in only one thing...and that's something Castiel is trying to understand.


_A/N: This is just some shameless Dean hurt that I wrote to break my writer's block, guys. I decided some Hurt/comfort and pointless schmoop would do it...so hopefully you like it. Leave me some feedback or throw tomatoes...lol _

_**Huge **thanks to LovinJackson for giving me the idea for this and pushing me to write more fic. I'm getting back to Rockbye now. So expect an update for that soon. _

_Title comes from the song Believe by Staind._

**xxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxx**

Walking the long corridor towards his room, Dean was thankful for the wall being there to hold him up. Each step was an effort, sweat running down the side of his face to drip from his jaw line as he put one foot in front of the other. One arm was tucked inside his jacket, the other was holding the jacket closed, shielding him from prying eyes.

A couple walked past him. Some leggy blonde with a skirt that could classify as underwear and a top cut so low that Dean caught a glimpse of her stomach before his eyes were drawn back up again to the cleavage that looked like it would burst free at any time. It was a nice, distraction from his own situation, even if the blonde and her accountant looking partner were looking down their noses at Dean.

Fine, he looked drunk. The smell of whiskey and bar smoke had soaked into his clothes and skin tonight, making him want to gag now. Drunk would have been the least of his problems.

Dean all but fell against his door, letting go of his jacket long enough to retrieve his room key. He slid it onto the lock and turned it all in one action, using his shoulder to nudge the door open before he stumbled into the room and kicked the door shut behind him.

The shadowy figure perched on the end of his bed, silhouetted against the neon light outside, came as no surprise at all. Dean huffed out a tired sigh that became more of a groan as he shuffled drunkenly across the room before his knees buckled under him. Hitting the ground, Dean rolled onto his back, his hand falling away from the inside of his jacket to reveal it dripping with bright, warm blood. His eyes slid closed, his bloody hand tucking back in against his wound as he spoke to the figure on the bed. "Don't you ever knock?"

"You think I should be making some sort of showy arrival?" Castiel frowned slightly, unfolding his arms and sitting forward slightly.

"I'm thinking you could learn about manners and personal space, dude…" Dean threw back tiredly.

"Why did you go to that bar tonight?"

"Gee, let me think…I was thirsty?" Dean was sure Angel's were supposed to be smart or something, right? All Omnipotent? Sure as hell didn't seem like it with Castiel…unless sending the dunce of the class was another's of God's jokes on him? There'd been a lot of them lately…

Castiel got up from the bed and moved over to crouch down beside Dean. He reached out and pulled the jacket away, staring at the growing wet stain on Dean's shirt, watching the way the blood was pooling through his fingers. "You are losing too much blood."

"No shit."

Castiel frowned again, and let the jacket fall back again as he got to his feet. "I warned you about that bar. I told you not to go there. That it would turn out bad for you. Why do you constantly question my advice? Are you so sure your way is best?"

"I thought humans had free will?" Dean opened his eyes at last, bright green standing out starkly against his pale, sweaty face. "I was just exercising mine."

"Because of your brother…"

"Sam had nothing to do with it." Not strictly true of course. Dean had been pissed to find Sam gone again when he had awoken alone. Some beers and pool had seemed a good idea at the time, even if the bar was supposed to have been a dive according to the winged wonder.

"Lying is a sin, Dean." Castiel replied instantly. "But that's one you are all too fond of using, isn't it? You lie to others to achieve your goals…you lie to Sam about what you recall of Hell. You lie to yourself about what your brother is doing…what he is becoming."

"Fuck you, Castiel. What the hell do you know about anything, anyway? Touting the boss' line, ordering me around without me getting a say in anything. Looking at me like I'm some fucking bug you caught to study? Just what do you know about me? About Sam? You only know what God told you about Sam…you don't know him like I do. So don't even start on what I'm lying to myself about."

Castiel could hear the strain in Dean's voice. He could sense the weakness, the human frailty in the body lying only a few feet from him. A body he had healed before bringing him out of Hell. A body he had marked with a handprint to show Dean that God needed him…that he was worth something.

And yet still…Dean judged and weighed his worth…by his brother. It was perplexing for Castiel. How could Sam's opinion and need for his brother, outweigh God himself in Dean's eyes?

"Sam won't come, Dean." He spoke it softly, actually regretting the words as they left his mouth. How could he be so concerned with this one human? The others never showed compassion towards humans. They wanted obedience…compliance.

But the more Castiel dealt with Dean, the more he was seeing how humans could hurt and feel. How passionate they were, how strong they held onto their beliefs…

Dean had an unshakable faith. As strong as Castiel's was in God himself. But Dean's faith was in his brother and his brother alone.

"Yes he will." Dean told him, his eyes flickering towards the door.

"You truly believe that?" Castiel turned and looked down at Dean again, then crouched down, his face soft and questioning, full of intrigue. " Even when you know he with Ruby right now? Even though I have shown you that he is walking a darker path now? You still have such faith in him? Why?"

"Because it's Sam." That was all that Dean needed to say. But he saw the questions forming on Castiel's lips, so he continued, even as he felt his body growing more tired by the minute, his eyelids becoming heavier. "Remember that night at Bobby's? You got pissed with me cause six of your brothers had gotten killed?"

" I remember." Castiel nodded. He had let his temper get the better of him, had demanded respect from Dean moments later by threatening him.

"Why were you so pissed with me? Cause your side had lost? Or because you knew those Angels?" A thin trickle of blood was slipping from the corner of Dean's mouth as he spoke, his voice becoming thinner.

Castiel could see the tremble setting into the man's body. Knew he was going into shock from blood loss. He put a hand out and touched it to Dean's face, feeling how cool he was. "You need a hospital, Dean. You are dying…"

"Shut up and answer me!" Dean snapped, hissing in pain a moment later as he jerked, feeling Castiel's hands on his shoulders.

"I knew them. They were my brothers, my friends. We had known each other for a millennia." It had been hard on Castiel to lose six of his brothers, the wound still raw and bleeding when he had confronted Dean in the kitchen of Bobby Singer's house. They had stood face to face, two war weary warriors, each hurting and angry at how the battle had gone. "I still mourn their loss."

"I've known Sam all my life. I raised him, taught him everything I knew, everything Dad ever instilled in me. That kid is part of me, Castiel." Dean explained tiredly, finding it harder now to find the right words as everything was becoming more distant. " That's… that why I can't give up on him. I won't."

Castiel nodded gently, sitting back a little as he heard footsteps running along the hallway. He reached out and gently placed his hand over Dean's eyes, closing them. "That's why you were saved Dean. That is why God chose you. Not to ask you to destroy your brother…but because he wants him saved. You are the only one who can…"

Dean could feel his grip slipping. Everything so cold now, his body shaking with shock. He could feel the pool of blood growing under him. Where was Sammy? He needed his brother…he needed to hear his voice.

"DEAN!" There was a loud crash as the door to the motel room was flung open. Sam was standing in the doorway, his chest heaving, his heart racing. For the briefest moment, like a flicker of light, like an after image left from staring too long at a candle's flame, Sam was sure he saw a figure crouched beside his brother on the floor. The figure looked up with blue eyes that seemed to burn into Sam before he winked out of sight. Sam shook himself, stunned and unsure of what he had seen…had there been wings on his shoulders?

It was no longer than a heartbeat, before Sam was on the move again, sliding to his knees beside his brother, but it felt like time was slowing down around him almost. "Dean! Oh god, Dean! Hey…Hey! I'm here…I'm here, Dean. It's okay…"

"S-s...ammy?" Dean's eyes cracked open a fraction, a bloody, relieved smile appearing on his lips. "Hey…you…you came."

Sam's heart was slamming against his ribs as he saw all the blood pooled around his brother. "Course I came… Someone's gotta look after you, right?" He gently eased Dean up, pulling his brother against him as he fumbled for his phone with shaking hands. "Just hang in there, okay? Stay with me…talk to me, Dean."

"He…he said you…he said you wouldn't come." Dean whispered softly, fighting to keep his eyes open and focused on Sam.

"My brother's been hurt. I need an ambulance… Fort Rainey Motel. Hurry, please." Sam barked into the phone before he dropped it and turned his attention back to Dean again. "Who, Dean? Who said that?"

"Castiel…"

"Castiel was wrong, okay?" Sam held Dean a little tighter, his hand pressed down on top of Dean's to try and staunch the blood loss. He saw Dean's eyes sliding closed again, panic igniting like a wildfire inside him. "Dean! Hey! Open your eyes, dude! Look at me!"

Dean struggled to comply again, his eyes flickering for a moment before they opened fully. "Sam?"

"I'm here, Dean. I'm not going anywhere…"

"I…I know…dude. I…know." Dean turned his head slightly, drawing warmth and comfort from Sam's presence as he felt the darkness taking him under again. A voice whispered in his mind, soothing him, allowing him to let go without fear.

_Rest…I will not let you fall. I understand now…_

**xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx**

Dean could hear Sam's soft snoring, before he even opened his eyes to the bright white décor of the hospital room. He blinked against the brightness and looked over at his brother, sound asleep beside him, his head resting on Dean's arm, his hand locked in Dean's.

"Sam…" Dean tried not to spook the kid, but still couldn't stop chuckling as Sam's head shot up. The sheer relief he saw in Sam's eyes told Dean all he ever needed to know about his brother.

"How'd you know?"

"Know what?" Sam asked, his face screwing up in the damn confused puppy look the kid had always had.

"To come looking for me? That I was in trouble? What did you have another one of those freaky ass visions of yours?" Dean grinned tiredly. It faltered a moment later as he saw Sam shake his head.

"I don't know. I…I just knew. Like a gut feeling. Something just told me to find you." Sam explained, before he lowered his eyes, swallowing thickly. "Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"Can…can we talk?"

It was Dean's turn to frown then. "Sure, Sammy…you can always talk to me."

"Really? Cause lately it feels like we've been slipping away from each other….and that scares me. It really scares me, Dean. I know I've been keeping secrets from you. And I'm sorry….but you have too and we can't keep doing this anymore. I don't want to do it anymore. I want my brother back. I want drive around in the Impala with you and take whatever's coming knowing I have you at my back."

Dean watched his brother as he spoke, hearing the emotion filling Sam's words. Feeling that maybe, just maybe at last…he was getting a sign that Sam was still Sam. His Sam.

"Dude…there's no other place I'll ever be." Dean told Sam with an earnest look, a smile touching his lips as he saw the broad, open and h0nest smile that split Sam's face open.

Looking past Sam, Dean saw Castiel standing near the door. The Angel gave him a curt nod and flickered out, pleased with the word he had to take to his employer. That there was a chance for this world after all…

End……


End file.
